Display basket



Aug. 12, 1941. I J. T. MOREHOUSE DISPLAY BASKET Filed Aug. 13, 1938Patented Aug. 12, 1941 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE DISPLAY BASKET JohnT. Morehouse, Methuen, Mass.

Application August 13, 1938, Serial No. 224,763

5 Claims.

This invention relates to display baskets, and especially to basketshaving a plurality of shelves or trays arranged one above the other.

It is a principal object of the invention to provide a novel andimproved display basket of this general description withsimple means forextending the lower shelves or trays with relation to the upper tray forpurposes of display while the basket is held by one hand, said meansthen serving to maintain the lower trays in extended position, and alsoto return them to their original superimposed position when desired, andto lock the trays in this superimposed position until it is againdesired to operate the basket for display.

By providing such a basket of light and simple construction readilyoperable while held in one hand without the necessity of placing thebasket on a supporting surface at any time, the salesman is enabled tobetter display his wares, to bring them more intimately to the attentionof his customer, and to facilitate inspection and examination by thecustomer.

With this and other objects in view as may hereinafter appear, theseveral features of the invention consist in the devices, combinationsand arrangement of parts hereinafter described and claimed, whichtogether with the advantages to be obtained thereby will be readilyunderstood by one skilled in the art from the following descriptiontaken in connection with the accom- 53 panying drawing, in which Fig. lis a perspective view of the basket in carrying position; Fig, 2 is anend elevation with the lower tray extended in display position; and Fig.3 is an end elevation with the lower tray withdrawn under the upper trayin carrying position and locked in such position by the actuatingdevice.

While the invention is herein embodied in a display basket having twotrays, it will be understood that the several features of the inventionare not limited in their application to the basket specificallyillustrated, but may be equally applicable to other types of basketshaving more than two trays.

In the embodiment of the invention illustrated, the basket comprises twoshelves or trays 4 and 6 supported one beneath the other by means ofparallel supporting links 8 pivotally connected to the ends of thetrays. A bail shaped handle it] is connected across the center portionof the upper tray 4 for supporting the basket in one hand while thebasket is carried, operated and used for display purposes. The controland actuating mechanism comprises two pairs of toggle links 12 and Mpivotally connected at their upper ends and connected together by across bar I6, the links M being pivotally connected to lugs IS on therear side of the upper tray 4 and the links l2 being pivotally connectedat their lower ends to lugs 25] on the rear side of the lower tray 6.The cross bar ['6 serves as an operating handle, and also to insure thesimultaneous operation of the two pairs of toggle links l2 and It. Thisassembly of the two pairs of toggle links and cross bar serves toprovide a balanced operation of the device to insure the projection ofthe lower tray without torsional or other undesirable strains on theparts, or twisting of the basket in the hand of the operator.

It will be noted that for the closed position of the basket shown inFig. 3, the pivotal connections of links 8 with the upper tray, areforwardly disposed with relation to the pivotal connections with thelower tray, so that the parallel links 8 are inclined real-wardly,causing the weight of the lower tray to exert a combined downward andforward pull against the locking and supporting connections. In thisposition of the basket, the toggle links l2 and [4 have been moved to asubstantially vertical locking position in which the cross bar or handleH5 and the pivotal connections between links i2 and M are located aboveand slightly beyond dead center position with relation to the pivotalsupporting lugs l8 and 20. The lugs l3 project rearwardly from the uppertray 4 to insure such locking action. The operation of the lock thusprovided to hold the trays in their superimposed vertical position, ismade more secure by the particular manner of suspending the lower tray 4on the links 8 above referred to, so that a forward pull is exerted uponthe links 12 about their pivotal connection with the links M to engagethe links i2 against the rear side of the upper tray 4.

The embodiment of the invention illustrated is particularly useful todoor-to-door salesmen who will carry the basket by the handle II] in theposition illustrated in Figs. 1 and 3. In this position the trays 4 and6 are kept firmly locked in superimposed relation by the toggle linkcontrol and actuating mechanism so that the basket may be readilycarried. In order to show the wares arranged on the trays 4 and 6, thesalesman will hold the basket suspended in one hand by the handle l0,and by operating the cross bar handle ['6 with the other hand will movethe lower tray 6 forwardly to the position shown in Fig. 2. A slightpull rearwardly on the cross bar handle l6 unlocks the actuatingmechanism,

and as the cross bar handle [6 swings back and down, the lower tray 6 isextended. The lower tray 6 can be readily kept in extended or forwardposition by the salesman by resting the cross bar handle it against hisknee, leaving one hand free. Upon release of the pressure of the crossbar handle [6 against the salesmans knee, this cross bar handle mayreadily be swung back to the position shown in Figs. 1 and 3, returningthe lower tray 6 to a position vertically beneath the tray 4 and lockingit in this position for ready carrying.

It will be understood that the invention is not limited to the specificembodiment shown, and that various deviations may be made therefromwithout departing from the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A display basket comprising a plurality of trays arranged one abovethe other, parallel link connections supporting the trays one above theother in spaced relation to permit the advance of the lower of saidtrays forwardly in stepped relation to the upper of said trays, a handlefor the basket secured to the upper of said trays and extending over thecenter portion thereof, and actuating mechanism for said basketcomprising a pair of toggle links of unequal length pivoted to oneanother, the shorter of said links being pivotally connected to the rearside of the upper of said trays, and the longer of said links beingpivotally connected to the rear side of the lower of said trays, amanually operable member supported by said links and located formovement therewith in a vertical plane extending transversely throughthe center portion of the basket and rearwardly thereof, the arrangementof said member and links being such that for a relatively raisedposition of the member the trays are superimposed one above the other,and for a depressed position of the member the lower tray is advancedfrom beneath the upper tray in stepped relation thereto, while saidbasket is supported solely by said handle and said member.

2. A display basket comprising a plurality of trays arranged one abovethe other, parallel link supporting connections between the trays topermit the advance of the lower of said trays forwardly in steppedrelation to the upper of said trays, a handle secured to the upper tray,and actuating and locking mechanism for said basket comprising a pair ofpivotally connected toggle links connected respectively to an upper anda lower tray arranged with the pivotal connection in a substantiallydead center position above the respective connections with said trays tolock the trays in a vertically superimposed position, and operable toadvance the lower of said trays from beneath the upper tray in steppedrelation thereto while supported from said handle.

3. A display basket comprising two trays ar ranged one above the other,parallel link supporting connections between the trays to permit theadvance of the lower of said trays forwardly in stepped relation to theupper tray, a handle secured to the upper tray, and actuating andlocking mechanism for said basket comprising pivotally connected togglelinks connected respectively to the rear sides of the lower and uppertrays, said toggle links being arranged for a vertically superimposedposition of the trays with the pivotal toggle connection in asubstantially dead center locking position above the respectiveconnections with the trays, and manually operable means for moving thepivotal connection of said toggle links to advance the lower of saidtrays from beneath the upper tray while supported from said handle.

4. A display basket comprising a plurality of trays arranged one abovethe other, parallel link supporting connections between opposite ends ofsaid trays to permit the advance of the lower of said trays forwardly instepped relation to the upper tray, a tranverse handle secured acrossthe center portion of the upper tray, and actuating and lockingmechanism for said basket comprising two pairs of pivotally connectedtoggle links connected respectively to the rear sides of the upper andlower trays on opposite sides of said handle, a cross piece connectingsaid pairs of toggle links to move as a unit, said toggle links beingarranged for a vertically superimposed position of the trays with thepivotal connections between said toggle links in a substantially deadcenter locking position above the respective connections of the linkswith the trays, said toggle links being movable about the connection ofsaid toggle links with the upper tray to advance the lower of said traysfrom beneath the upper tray while supported from said handle.

5. A display basket comprising two trays arranged one above the other,parallel link supporting connections between the trays having a pivotalconnection with the upper tray at points forwardly disposed withrelation to the connection thereof with the lower tray for asuperimposed closed position of said trays, and actuating and lockingmechanism for said basket comprising pivotally connected toggle links, arearwardly extending pivotal support for one of said links on the uppertray, a pivotal support for the other of said links on the rear side ofthe lower tray, said toggle links being arranged for a verticallysuperimposed position of the trays with the pivotal connection betweensaid toggle links in a substantially dead center looking position abovethe respective connections with the trays in which the toggle linkconnected to the lower tray is engaged against the rear side of theupper tray, and manually operable means for moving the pivotalconnection of said toggle links rearwardly and down to advance the lowerof said trays from beneath the upper tray while supported from saidhandle.

JOHN T. MOREHOUSE.

